Your new favorite fall cookie is here — Brown Sugar Sourdough Maple Cookies. These chewy cookies are packed with brown sugar and maple flavor, made with sourdough discard and finished with a sweet maple glaze. They’re perfect for sharing, freezing, or enjoying with a warm drink.
Similar in profile to other sourdough cookie favorites, these cookies bake up chewy in the center with crisp edges. The recipe makes a large batch so you can freeze dough balls for later or bake them all to share.
Why You’ll Love Brown Sugar Sourdough Maple Cookies
- Chewy & flavorful: A tender, chewy center with brown sugar depth and a slightly crisp edge.
- Maple glaze: The optional maple glaze adds a pronounced maple finish that complements the brown sugar base.
- Uses sourdough discard: This recipe is a great way to use up discard; use fresher discard for less tang or older discard for more pronounced sour notes.
Important Ingredients
- Sourdough discard: Use discard no more than a day or two old for minimal tang. A 100% hydration discard works best; if it’s very runny, add a touch more flour.
- Unsalted butter: Use unsalted and softened butter so you can control salt levels. If using salted butter, reduce added salt slightly.
- Brown sugar: Dark brown sugar adds deeper molasses notes; light brown sugar also works.
- Egg yolk: Adds richness and structure to the dough.
- Maple syrup: Use pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup) for true maple flavor.
- Maple extract: Enhances the maple profile; omit if you prefer a more brown-sugar-forward cookie.
- All-purpose flour: Use standard all-purpose flour (about 11–11.5% protein) rather than bread flour.
- Baking soda & salt: Baking soda provides lift; salt balances sweetness.
- Maple icing (optional): Made from melted butter, pure maple syrup, powdered sugar, a touch of maple extract, and salt.
How to Make Brown Sugar Sourdough Maple Cookies
Mix the cookie dough
In a large bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter and brown sugar with a hand mixer until combined. Add the egg yolk and sourdough discard and mix about a minute until lighter and fluffy. Add the pure maple syrup and maple extract, then whip until the mixture is uniform and airy.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and mix until just combined. If desired, fold in 1 cup finely chopped pecans or another mix-in at this point.
Shape & chill the dough
Scoop roughly 2 tablespoon-sized (about 1–1.3 oz) balls of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the dough balls in the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes before baking.
Long ferment option: For more sour flavor and deeper fermentation benefits, shape the dough into balls and refrigerate overnight or up to a couple of days. The longer chill will develop tang and complexity.
Bake & glaze
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Remove 12 chilled dough balls from the refrigerator and bake on a parchment-lined sheet at 400ºF for 8–10 minutes, until puffed and crisp on the edges. Let the cookies rest on the sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining dough.
For the optional maple glaze, whisk together melted unsalted butter, pure maple syrup, powdered sugar, maple extract, and a pinch of salt. Drizzle the glaze over lightly cooled cookies.
Amy’s Recipe Tip
When cookies come out of the oven they can be a little puffed. Tap the baking sheet on the counter once or twice to encourage the cookies to settle and develop a chewy center as they cool.
Substitutions
These cookies are flexible. Try these alternatives if needed:
- Maple extract: Omit for a milder maple note or replace with vanilla or almond extract.
- Glaze: Skip it or swap the extract for a different flavor.
- Mix-ins: Add 1 cup chopped pecans, chocolate chips, or cinnamon chips for variation.
- Sourdough discard: If you don’t have discard, active sourdough starter can be used instead.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days. For longer storage, freeze cookies or freeze pre-shaped dough balls on a baking sheet, transfer to a bag, and freeze up to a couple months. Bake from frozen adding a few minutes to the baking time or thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
If you liked this, you’ll also like…
- Molasses Ginger Sourdough Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Sourdough Cookies
- Sourdough Thumbprint Cookies
- Sourdough Blondies
Frequently Asked Questions
Discard can add flavor, moisture, and the benefits of fermented flour. For these cookies, use fresh or young discard to avoid a pronounced sour taste.
Chilling for 30 minutes improves chewiness and prevents excessive spreading, but you can bake immediately if pressed for time. Cookies baked immediately may be slightly cakier and spread more.
For thinner, crisp cookies use melted butter, skip chilling, and bake on convection at 400ºF. If needed, reduce flour slightly.
Yes. Freeze scooped dough on a baking sheet, then transfer to a sealed bag for up to a couple months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or bake from frozen with a few extra minutes.
Sourdough Brown Sugar Maple Cookies
Ingredients
Sourdough Brown Sugar Maple Cookie Dough
- 113 g unsalted butter, softened (1/2 cup)
- 220 g brown sugar, packed (about 1 cup; dark brown preferred)
- 100 g sourdough discard (scant 1/2 cup)
- 1 large egg yolk
- 80 g pure maple syrup (1/4 cup)
- 8 g maple extract (about 2 tsp)
- 320 g all-purpose flour (about 2 1/2 cups)
- 5 g baking soda (about 1 tsp)
- 3 g salt (about 1/2 tsp)
Maple Icing (optional)
- 20 g unsalted butter, melted (about 1.5 Tbsp)
- 60 g pure maple syrup (about 3 Tbsp)
- 60 g powdered sugar (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 g maple extract (about 1/4 tsp)
- 1 g salt (about 1/8 tsp)
Instructions
- Cream the softened butter and brown sugar in a large bowl. Add the egg yolk and sourdough discard and mix until light and fluffy. Add the pure maple syrup and maple extract and whip until fully combined.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until combined. Fold in 1 cup chopped pecans or other mix-in if desired.
- Scoop dough into 2 Tbsp (approx 1–1.3 oz) balls on a parchment-lined sheet. Chill the dough balls in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (or longer for more sour flavor).
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Bake 12 dough balls at a time for 8–10 minutes until puffed and edges are crisp. Let sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack.
- For the glaze, whisk melted butter, maple syrup, powdered sugar, maple extract, and salt. Drizzle over cooled cookies.
Notes
Sourdough discard: Use discard no more than a few days old for minimal sourness. Longer refrigeration increases tang.
Chilling the dough: Chilling yields chewier cookies and better texture. You can bake immediately, but cookies may be slightly cakier and spread more.
Maple syrup: Use pure maple syrup — not pancake syrup — for best flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 155 kcal • Carbohydrates: 26 g • Protein: 2 g • Fat: 5 g
Nutrition information is an approximation.